Amistad (1997)
A movie review by Michael J. Legeros
Copyright 1997 by Michael J. Legeros
(Dreamworks) Directed by Steven Spielberg Written by David Franzoni Cast Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Nigel Hawthorne, Stellan Skarsgard, David Paymer, Pete Postlethwaite, Anna Paquin MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for violence and nudity) Running Time 157 minutes Reviewed at The Rialto Theatre, Raleigh, NC (25DEC97)
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AMISTAD is a bit of a sit. Seemingly shooting for another SCHIN- DLER'S, Steven Spielberg only halfway hits the mark with this fascinat- ing but emotionally under-involving 19th Century history lesson. He nails the slave ship sequences, to be sure-- they're as riveting as anything you'll see this season. Too bad they occupy no more than 20 or 30 minutes of screen time, tops. The rest is talky courtroom stuff, with a bit of punchy humor, here and there, in each culture's reaction to the other. (Particularly choice is the African take on Christian- ity.) The period detail is excellent and the actors are quite good, even if the cast is populated by a few too many familiar faces. (Look, there's Stellan Skarsgard from GOOD WILL HUNTING! Look, there's Daniel von Bargen from THE POSTMAN!) Most jarring is John William's score, which intrudes to the point of embarrassment. (The "give us free" mo- ment is particularly painful.) Schmaltz has its place in many Spielberg movies, but not this one. With Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, David Paymer, Pete Postlethwaite, and in a small but critical role, Anthony Hopkins as John Quincy Adams.
Grade: B-
-- Mike Legeros - Movie Hell http://www.nonvirtual.com/hell
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